Gustavus Myers
Encyclopedia
Gustavus Myers was an American journalist
and historian
who published a series of influential studies on capital formation. His name is associated with the muckraking era of American literature.
, the son of Julia Hillman and Abram Myers.
, where he remained for the rest of his life.
In the 1890s, Myers became a member of the People's Party (commonly known as the "Populists"), later joining the Socialist Party of America
(SPA).
In the decade of the 1910s, Myers emerged as a leading scholar of the American socialist
movement when he authored a series of volumes for Charles H. Kerr & Co., the country's largest publisher of Marxist
books and pamphlets. Between 1909 and 1914, Myers published three volumes on the history of family wealth in the United States, one volume on the same topic for Canada
, and a history of the Supreme Court of the United States
. These publications were frequently cited and used in an academic setting for several decades, with Myers' History of the Great American Fortunes revived in a single volume format in 1936.
Myers split with the Socialist Party in 1917 over the SPA's position against American intervention in World War I
. In 1918 Myers contributed to the American war effort by publishing a book attacking what he called "Germany's Sinister Propaganda" entitled The German Myth: The Falsity of Germany's "Social Progress" Claims.
Myers received a Guggenheim Fellowship
in 1941, which he used to write a book entitled History of Bigotry in the United States. Myers died before the work could be published, however, with Random House
releasing the work only after his death.
Myers' papers are housed at the American Heritage Center of the University of Wyoming
at Laramie
. Included in the 2.5 cubic feet (70.8 l) of archival material are photographs of Myers and the manuscripts of two unpublished non-fiction books. A finding aid is available on site.
In 1984, the Gustavus Myers Center for the Study of Bigotry and Human Rights was founded. From 2001 until 2008, the Myers Center gave out annnual awards for books which are "outstanding in helping shed light on bigotry in America.". In 2009, the year of the Myers Center's 25th Anniversary, the center was closed due to lack of funds.
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
and historian
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
who published a series of influential studies on capital formation. His name is associated with the muckraking era of American literature.
Early years
Gustavus Myers was born March 20, 1872 in Trenton, New JerseyTrenton, New Jersey
Trenton is the capital of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Trenton had a population of 84,913...
, the son of Julia Hillman and Abram Myers.
Career
In 1891, Myers went to work as a reporter for the Philadelphia Record, leaving the next year for New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, where he remained for the rest of his life.
In the 1890s, Myers became a member of the People's Party (commonly known as the "Populists"), later joining the Socialist Party of America
Socialist Party of America
The Socialist Party of America was a multi-tendency democratic-socialist political party in the United States, formed in 1901 by a merger between the three-year-old Social Democratic Party of America and disaffected elements of the Socialist Labor Party which had split from the main organization...
(SPA).
In the decade of the 1910s, Myers emerged as a leading scholar of the American socialist
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
movement when he authored a series of volumes for Charles H. Kerr & Co., the country's largest publisher of Marxist
Marxism
Marxism is an economic and sociopolitical worldview and method of socioeconomic inquiry that centers upon a materialist interpretation of history, a dialectical view of social change, and an analysis and critique of the development of capitalism. Marxism was pioneered in the early to mid 19th...
books and pamphlets. Between 1909 and 1914, Myers published three volumes on the history of family wealth in the United States, one volume on the same topic for Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, and a history of the Supreme Court of the United States
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
. These publications were frequently cited and used in an academic setting for several decades, with Myers' History of the Great American Fortunes revived in a single volume format in 1936.
Myers split with the Socialist Party in 1917 over the SPA's position against American intervention in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. In 1918 Myers contributed to the American war effort by publishing a book attacking what he called "Germany's Sinister Propaganda" entitled The German Myth: The Falsity of Germany's "Social Progress" Claims.
Myers received a Guggenheim Fellowship
Guggenheim Fellowship
Guggenheim Fellowships are American grants that have been awarded annually since 1925 by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation to those "who have demonstrated exceptional capacity for productive scholarship or exceptional creative ability in the arts." Each year, the foundation makes...
in 1941, which he used to write a book entitled History of Bigotry in the United States. Myers died before the work could be published, however, with Random House
Random House
Random House, Inc. is the largest general-interest trade book publisher in the world. It has been owned since 1998 by the German private media corporation Bertelsmann and has become the umbrella brand for Bertelsmann book publishing. Random House also has a movie production arm, Random House Films,...
releasing the work only after his death.
Death and legacy
Gustavus Myers died December 7, 1942 in Bronx, New York. He was 70 years old at the time of his death.Myers' papers are housed at the American Heritage Center of the University of Wyoming
University of Wyoming
The University of Wyoming is a land-grant university located in Laramie, Wyoming, situated on Wyoming's high Laramie Plains, at an elevation of 7,200 feet , between the Laramie and Snowy Range mountains. It is known as UW to people close to the university...
at Laramie
Laramie, Wyoming
Laramie is a city in and the county seat of Albany County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 30,816 at the . Located on the Laramie River in southeastern Wyoming, the city is west of Cheyenne, at the junction of Interstate 80 and U.S. Route 287....
. Included in the 2.5 cubic feet (70.8 l) of archival material are photographs of Myers and the manuscripts of two unpublished non-fiction books. A finding aid is available on site.
In 1984, the Gustavus Myers Center for the Study of Bigotry and Human Rights was founded. From 2001 until 2008, the Myers Center gave out annnual awards for books which are "outstanding in helping shed light on bigotry in America.". In 2009, the year of the Myers Center's 25th Anniversary, the center was closed due to lack of funds.
Works
- History of Public Franchises in New York City. New York: Reform Club Committee on City Affairs, 1900.
- The History of Tammany Hall. New York: self-published, 1901. Revised edition, Boni and Liveright, 1917.
- History of the Great American Fortunes. Volume 1; Volume 2; Volume 3. Chicago: Charles H. Kerr & Co., 1909–1910 ; Single volume edition, New York, 1936.
- Beyond the Borderline of Life: A Summing Up of the Results of the Scientific Investigation of Psychic Phenomena. Boston: Ball Publishing Co., 1910.
- History of The Supreme Court of the United States. Chicago: Charles H. Kerr & Co., 1912.
- A History of Canadian Wealth. Chicago: Charles H. Kerr & Co., 1914. One volume only of a projected two volumes published.
- “A Study of the Causes of Industrial Accidents," Journal of the American Statistical Association, Vol. 14 (Sept. 1915), pp. 672–694.
- The German Myth: The Falsity of Germany's "Social Progress" Claims. New York: Boni and Liveright, 1918.
- Ye Olden Blue Laws. New York: Century Co., 1921.
- The History of American Idealism. New York: Boni and Liveright, 1925.
- America Strikes Back: A Record of Contrasts. New York: Ives Washburn, 1935.
- The Ending of Hereditary American Fortunes. New York: J. Messner, 1939.
- History of Bigotry in the United States. New York: Random House, 1943. Published posthumously.
External links
- Gustavus Myers Center homepage, myerscenter.org Retrieved July 18, 2010.